This invention relates generally to an orthodontal device and method, and more specifically to an orthodontal electrical device and method of employing said device to assist in the repositioning of a tooth in the mouth of a patient.
Research work relating to the use of low amperage current to enhance tooth movement has been carried out at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, Pa. Early work in this area resulted in the issuance of U.S. Pat. No. 4,153,060 to Korostoff et al.
The Korostoff et al patent discloses a device employing a power pack 28 contained on a base plate 10 that, in turn, is located in the roof of a patient's mouth. The base plate is retained in proper position by fixing it to teeth which are not then being moved with the aid of electrical stimulation.
In the Korostoff et al device the anodic electrode 22 and the cathodic electrode 24 are connected to the positive and negative leads, respectively, of the power pack 28 and are positioned in engagement with the gingival tissue 26. The anodic electrode is placed adjacent the tooth in the direction of desired tooth movement, and the cathodic electrode 24 is placed on the opposite side of the tooth.
When using the Korostoff et al device the anodic and cathodic electrodes will remain in the same location on the gingival tissue as a tooth is undergoing movement, until such time as the position of the electrodes is independently readjusted by the dentist. This is due to the fact that the electrodes are held in a stationary, fixed position on the gingival tissue by virtue of their attachment to a power pack that is located in a fixed position of the patient's mouth. Thus, it is entirely possible that during certain phases of tooth movement the electrodes will not be in an optimum position relative to the tooth to affect the desired degree of tooth movement.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,244,373, issued to Nachman, devices are disclosed for producing an electrical current in the mouth of a patient. In certain disclosed embodiments, devices are clamped around the teeth to provide electrical stimulation inducing osteogenesis, and possibly to provide increased healing rates for gingival infections. These devices are not employed or designed to assist in effecting tooth movement in accordance with the objectives of the instant invention.